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Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) announced Friday that he will shut down indoor dining in New York City, despite the fact that contact tracing does not show restaurants as a primary source of coronavirus transmission.
Earlier this week, Cuomo warned that the suspension of indoor dining in New York City could be forthcoming if hospitalization rates did not stabilize in the region.
“We’re going to close indoor dining in New York City on Monday” Cuomo announced Friday, though restaurants will still be permitted to provide take out and delivery:
Indoor dining will close in New York City starting Monday.
Hospitalizations have not stabilized, and with a rising infection rate and NYC’s density, this means that indoor dining is too high of a risk.
Takeout, delivery and outdoor dining will continue.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) December 11, 2020
Indoor restaurant capacity in the city was previously capped at 25 percent, and the establishments in other areas of the state are operating at 50 percent capacity. However, contact tracing data shows that restaurants are not the primary source of transmission of the virus, identifying the establishments as the “fifth main source of new infections,” falling behind private gatherings.
“Of 46,000 cases between September and November, 1.43 percent could be linked to restaurants and bars, compared to 73.84 percent connected with private gatherings,” the New York Times reported:
Open. Up. https://t.co/EIVsM8t5Nd
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) December 11, 2020
Cuomo added that the federal government “must provide relief to bars and restaurants in this next [stimulus] package.”
Hospitalizations have grown in the state, reaching 5,321 on Friday.
This week, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called on residents to cancel their holiday travel plans “now”.
